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Saturday, February 17
Huntsville, Texas
7:30 PM ET/6:30 PM CT
Liberty University
16-10,5-6CUSA
73
at
83
Sam Houston
15-11,8-3CUSA
1
2
F
Liberty
27
46
73
Sam Houston
50
33
83
Sam Houston Holds Off Liberty 83-73
2/17/2024 10:38:00 PM | Men's Basketball
HUNTSVILLE, Texas – Liberty cut a 25-point second half deficit to seven before falling short at Sam Houston by a 83-73 score, Saturday night at Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum.
Sam Houston improves to 15-11 overall and 8-3 in CUSA action, remaining in a tie for first place atop the league. Liberty falls to 16-10 overall and 5-6 in CUSA games. Liberty falls to 1-5 in CUSA road games. Meanwhile, Sam Houston improves to 6-0 at home in league play.
The Flames trailed the Bearkats 69-44 with 9:54 remaining before going on a 16-0 run to cut the deficit to 69-60 with 5:42 left. Liberty clawed within seven on two occasions (70-63 and 78-71), but Sam Houston held on down the stretch to secure the 10-point victory.
The two teams split the regular season series, with each team winning at home. Liberty won the first meeting on Jan. 20, topping Sam Houston 82-66 in Lynchburg.
Kaden Metheny led four Flames in double figures with a game-high 19 points. Brody Peebles (17 points), Kyle Rode (15 points) and Zach Cleveland (10 points) joined Metheny in double figures.
Sam Houston's balanced attack featured five double-digit scorers, led by 16 points from Davon Burnes. The Bearkats shot 54.9 percent on the night.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Kaden Metheny 19 points, 6-12 FG, 5 rebounds, 4 assists; Brody Peebles 17 points, 3 rebounds; Kyle Rode 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists; Zach Cleveland 10 points, 7 rebounds
Sam Houston Individuals: Davon Burnes 16 points, 5-9 FG, 5 rebounds; Lamar Wilkerson 14 points, 6-8 FG; Damon Nicholas Jr. 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks; Cameron Huefner 11 points, 6 rebounds; Jaden Ray 11 points, 4 assists
Key Team Stats: Sam Houston shot 54.9 percent (28-of-51) from the floor on the night while holding Liberty to 41.1 percent (23-of-56). The Flames outrebounded the Bearkats 33-30. Sam Houston scored 16 points off 12 Flames turnovers. The Liberty defense forced 11 turnovers, but it led to only eight points. Liberty never led in the game. Sam Houston led for 38:45 of the 40 minutes.
Turning Point
Sam Houston raced out to an 18-2 lead in the game's first 5:10 and never trailed. The Bearkats shot a blistering 57.6 percent (19-of-33) from the field and 50 percent (6-of-12) from the three-point line in the opening 20 minutes to build a commanding 23-point lead, 50-27.
Sam Houston tacked onto the lead and went up 69-44 with under 10 minutes left in the game, but Liberty responded with a 19-1 run to trim the deficit to seven, 70-63, with 3:47 on the clock. The Flames got within seven one more time, 78-71, with 55 seconds remaining but would get no closer.
Key Stats & Notes
Liberty will be back in action on Thursday evening at FIU (8-18, 3-8 CUSA). Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Ocean Bank Convention Center in Miami, Fla.
This will be the second meeting this season between the Flames and Panthers. Liberty took the first meeting by a 78-69 score at Liberty Arena, Jan. 18. With the victory, Liberty evened the all-time series at 2-2. Prior to the Jan. 18 matchup, the two teams had not played against each other since Nov. 22, 1996 (67-51 Liberty win).
Sam Houston improves to 15-11 overall and 8-3 in CUSA action, remaining in a tie for first place atop the league. Liberty falls to 16-10 overall and 5-6 in CUSA games. Liberty falls to 1-5 in CUSA road games. Meanwhile, Sam Houston improves to 6-0 at home in league play.
The Flames trailed the Bearkats 69-44 with 9:54 remaining before going on a 16-0 run to cut the deficit to 69-60 with 5:42 left. Liberty clawed within seven on two occasions (70-63 and 78-71), but Sam Houston held on down the stretch to secure the 10-point victory.
The two teams split the regular season series, with each team winning at home. Liberty won the first meeting on Jan. 20, topping Sam Houston 82-66 in Lynchburg.
Kaden Metheny led four Flames in double figures with a game-high 19 points. Brody Peebles (17 points), Kyle Rode (15 points) and Zach Cleveland (10 points) joined Metheny in double figures.
Sam Houston's balanced attack featured five double-digit scorers, led by 16 points from Davon Burnes. The Bearkats shot 54.9 percent on the night.
Box Score Highlights
Liberty Individuals: Kaden Metheny 19 points, 6-12 FG, 5 rebounds, 4 assists; Brody Peebles 17 points, 3 rebounds; Kyle Rode 15 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists; Zach Cleveland 10 points, 7 rebounds
Sam Houston Individuals: Davon Burnes 16 points, 5-9 FG, 5 rebounds; Lamar Wilkerson 14 points, 6-8 FG; Damon Nicholas Jr. 12 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks; Cameron Huefner 11 points, 6 rebounds; Jaden Ray 11 points, 4 assists
Key Team Stats: Sam Houston shot 54.9 percent (28-of-51) from the floor on the night while holding Liberty to 41.1 percent (23-of-56). The Flames outrebounded the Bearkats 33-30. Sam Houston scored 16 points off 12 Flames turnovers. The Liberty defense forced 11 turnovers, but it led to only eight points. Liberty never led in the game. Sam Houston led for 38:45 of the 40 minutes.
Turning Point
Sam Houston raced out to an 18-2 lead in the game's first 5:10 and never trailed. The Bearkats shot a blistering 57.6 percent (19-of-33) from the field and 50 percent (6-of-12) from the three-point line in the opening 20 minutes to build a commanding 23-point lead, 50-27.
Sam Houston tacked onto the lead and went up 69-44 with under 10 minutes left in the game, but Liberty responded with a 19-1 run to trim the deficit to seven, 70-63, with 3:47 on the clock. The Flames got within seven one more time, 78-71, with 55 seconds remaining but would get no closer.
Key Stats & Notes
- Kaden Metheny scored 14 of his 19 points in the second half. The guard is averaging 18.0 points per game over his last five games.
- Brody Peebles finished with 17 points, second most on the team. The junior is averaging 18.0 ppg in his last three games.
- Kyle Rode (15 points) buried three three-pointers tonight, giving him a team-high 75 on the year.
- Liberty outscored Sam Houston 46-33 in the second half.
- At 5-6 in Conference USA, Liberty is in a tie for fourth place in the league standings. New Mexico State and Middle Tennessee are also 5-6 in conference.
- The Flames gave up 83 points tonight, the most they have surrendered to a CUSA opponent this season.
- Liberty's 50 points allowed to Sam Houston in the first half marked the second most the Flames have given up in any half this season. The most was 52 in the second half against Alabama in the C.M. Newton Classic on Dec. 30. The last time the Flames gave up 50 or more points in a half to a conference foe was when they allowed 52 points in the second half of an 88-81 loss at Kennesaw State, last year (Feb. 16, 2023).
- Sam Houston evens the all-time series at 2-2. Liberty had won the last two meetings with the Bearkats entering the night.
Liberty will be back in action on Thursday evening at FIU (8-18, 3-8 CUSA). Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Ocean Bank Convention Center in Miami, Fla.
This will be the second meeting this season between the Flames and Panthers. Liberty took the first meeting by a 78-69 score at Liberty Arena, Jan. 18. With the victory, Liberty evened the all-time series at 2-2. Prior to the Jan. 18 matchup, the two teams had not played against each other since Nov. 22, 1996 (67-51 Liberty win).
Team Stats
Lib
SHSU
FG%
.411
.549
3FG%
.345
.409
FT%
.739
.750
RB
33
30
TO
12
11
STL
4
4
Game Leaders
Pts
19
FGM
6
3FGM
2
FTM
5
Pts
17
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
2
Pts
10
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
F
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